Day 14: To Bakersfield

July 23, 2009

Today I pedaled across the southernmost part of California's immense central valley. The route was unique among the days of this tour because every road was perfectly straight and almost perfectly flat. I started in Maricopa, at the southwest corner of the valley, and finished on the northeast edge of Bakersfield.

I didn't get on the road until 9AM because I got to the motel so late last night. So it was already warm by the time I started. For the first time on this tour I used my new Railriders long sleeve shirt which has extensive mesh under the arms. It worked very well to keep me cool. I also used my Desoto "leg coolers" for the first time. I'm not sure they really cooled my legs very much, but the fine white mesh kept the sun off my legs and was surely cooler than black tights would be in the blazing sun.

The central valley is flat, hot, and dry and sunny. An extensive network of canals delivers water from reservoirs in the Sierra Nevada mountains to irrigate farms. California grows half the nation's vegetables, and most of that is grown in the central valley.

The southernmost part of the central valley is also famous for oil. Bakersfield's main claim to fame is oilfields and an outlaw style of country music that originated with roughnecks laboring in the oilfields. My route was on farm roads to the south, then east of Bakersfield. I had no desire to pedal across the city of 300,000 people.

Scenic grandeur of oil infrastructure in California's central valley. This area obviously has no access to irrigation water.

Every road is perfectly straight. Highway 166 looking towards Bakersfield, with the Sierra Nevada mountains faintly visible in the distance.

Smells like money, as my Texas friends used to say.

In the middle of the central valley the major landmarks are man-made, such as the California aquaduct and I-5.

The California aquaduct provides nearly all the water for the central valley.

Most of the agriculture I saw was lemon orchards and grape vineyards.

Straight ahead through miles of lemon orchards.

I crossed to the south and east of Bakersfield, but once I was northeast of Bakersfield I had to backtrack 4 miles west to find a motel. No big deal when it's completely flat. My room cost only $43.

The high temperature was at least 100F. The humidity was extremely low, so it really wasn't too bad when I was moving, generating a breeze. But when I stopped it was essential to find shade. The orchards aren't fenced, so it was easy to sit in the shade of a lemon tree. The miles are fast and easy in flat terrain with a tailwind. But it seems to take longer on straight roads with monotonous scenery. The central valley is far from the scenic highlight of this tour, but it does contribute to the astonishing variety of landscapes that I will see on this tour.

Distance: 64.1 mi (102.5 km)

Climbing: 873 ft (264 m)

Average speed: 11.1 mph (17.8 km/h)

Max speed: 23 mph 36.8 km/h)

Today's ride: 64 miles (103 km)
Total: 673 miles (1,083 km)

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